About the author

Jimmy Burch has covered professional golf for the Star-Telegram since 1991. He’s received state and national honors for his writing but fills his own scorecard with more bogeys than birdies when he hits the local links.

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August 2013

August 17, 2013

Emma Costa, a junior golfer from Southlake, has advanced to the national finals of the Drive, Chip & Putt Championship, a golf developmental initiative created by the Masters Tournament Foundation, U.S. Golf Association and PGA of America.

Costa, 10, will represent the North Texas Region during the finals at Augusta National Golf Club on April 6, 2014. The finals will be held the day before the start of practice rounds at the 2014 Masters. Costa, one of the top 88 finishers at regional qualifiers, is a member of Timarron Country Club in Southlake. By reaching the finals, she earned three tickets to a Masters practice round while in Augusta, Ga.

August 15, 2013

Officials at the HP Byron Nelson Championship announced today that this year’s event raised $5.55 million for local charities, bringing the tournament’s career total to more than $132 million in charitable dollars since 1968. The 2013 total represents a 3 percent increase over 2012 charitable proceeds. The 2014 Nelson will be played May 12-18 in Irving.

August 14, 2013

PGA Tour officials have banned caddie races at events where they occur, including the Crowne Plaza Invitational at Colonial. The crowd-pleasing races also have been popular at the Phoenix Open.

Andy Pazder, the tour’s executive vice president and chief of operations, confirmed the edict today in a phone interview with the Star-Telegram after the issue surfaced during a report on the Golf Channel.

The primary issue, said Pazder, is caddie safety. Plus, some caddies told him they felt “humiliated” by the races at Colonial’s 13th hole.

“From my standpoint, fans enjoyed the caddie races,” Pazder said. “But as we looked at it with each passing year, safety became an issue. For somebody to legitimately run with a bag on his shoulder, I’m concerned about him tripping and falling and injuring himself. I didn’t want that to become a factor. We want the caddies to be safe.”

In addition, Pazder said: “I’ve had caddies come to me and say they feel humiliated by the caddie races, as if they’re a carnival sideshow. A number of them also liked it because it was their moment in the spotlight.”

It is worth noting that caddies, who work for individual golfers, do not receive health-care benefits from the PGA Tour. That makes liability issues a concern in the event a caddie would be injured while participating in one of the voluntary races to see which caddie is first to arrive at Colonial’s 13th green.

Colonial officials confirmed this morning that they will abide by the edict, ending a popular practice at Fort Worth’s annual PGA Tour stop.

In a statement confirming the end of the caddie races, Tothe playfully referenced Crowne Plaza, the hotel chain that is the tournament’s title sponsor. It said: “In keeping on brand with our title sponsor … and to support the PGA Tour’s wishes, we are putting the caddie races to bed. Good night caddie races, it’s been fun.”

Tothe said tournament officials intend to huddle about a possible replacement activity to entertain fans who congregate at the 13th green. But he acknowledged it will be tough to match the popularity of the caddie races, which became “an organic element the fans embraced” on their own.

“You’d rather let it happen naturally,” Tothe said of a fresh initiative at No. 13. “We haven’t brainstormed about it yet. But we will.”

PGA Tour officials have banned caddie races at the events where they occur, including the Crowne Plaza Invitational at Colonial. The crowd-pleasing races also have been popular at the Phoenix Open.

In an interview with Golf Channel, Andy Pazder, the tour’s executive vice president and chief of operations, said: “We have advised the folks at Colonial and out in Phoenix to discontinue the caddie races. It was a situation where we developed a little concern about caddies’ safety. Running 150 yards puts caddies at risk for injury. I had caddies come to me in Phoenix and at Colonial saying, ‘This is ridiculous, it’s like we are a carnival show.’”

It is worth noting that caddies, who work for individual golfers, do not receive health-care benefits from the PGA Tour. That makes liability issues a concern in the event a caddie would be injured while participating in one of the voluntary races.

Colonial officials confirmed this morning that they will abide by the edict, ending a popular practice at Fort Worth’s annual PGA Tour stop.

Michael Tothe, Colonial tournament director, issued a statement this morning about the PGA Tour edict. Tothe said: “In keeping on brand with our title sponsor Crowne Plaza Hotels & Resorts and their message of providing a better night’s sleep, and to support the PGA Tour’s wishes, we are putting the caddie races to bed. Good night caddie races, it’s been fun.”

In a text message, Tothe declined additional comment but said Colonial officials “will be 100 percent supportive” of the tour’s stance in regard to ending the races in Fort Worth.

August 13, 2013

Marc Wielgosz, an assistant golf professional at Shady Oaks Country Club in Fort Worth, has been selected as the 2013 Assistant Golf Professional of the Year by the Northern Texas PGA Section.

He joins Casey Paulson of The Vaquero Club in Westlake, winner of the Horton Smith Award (education/building the image of a PGA professional), among this year’s list of honorees with Tarrant County connections.

NTPGA officials announced their 2013 section major award winners today, with other notable honors going to Dallas’ Philip Bleakney (Golf Professional of the Year) and Cameron McCormick (Teacher of the Year). McCormick, who works at Brook Hollow Golf Club, is the longtime swing instructor of Dallas resident Jordan Spieth, 20, who has had a breakout rookie season on the 2013 PGA Tour.

The 15 honorees will be recognized at the NTPGA’s annual awards banquet on Feb. 23, 2014. Below is a full list of the 2013 award recipients:

Golf Professional of the Year – Philip Bleakney, The Golf Club of Dallas, Dallas

Assistant Golf Professional of the Year – Marc Wielgosz, Shady Oaks Country Club, Fort Worth

The 2013 class, announced Thursday, will be inducted Oct. 21 during a ceremony at Oak Hills Country Club in San Antonio.

Barrow, an Abilene Christian graduate who lives in Colleyville, has produced all of CBS’ golf coverage since 1997. He worked his first Masters Tournament, typically the network’s highest-rated golf telecast each year, in 1977 as a spotter for legendary announcer Pat Summerall.

Barrow expressed surprise to receive what he called a “wonderful award” and said he looks forward to his induction. He was selected under the Hall of Fame’s distinguished service category.

“I can’t believe this and I am so honored to have been selected,” Barrow said.

Graham, a Dallas resident who won major titles at the 1979 PGA and 1981 U.S. Open, was selected under the tour professional category. A native of Australia, Graham won 38 professional events worldwide.

In addition to Barrow and Graham, other 2013 honorees include Eldridge Miles and the late Dick Harmon (club professional); Anna Schultz and Chip Stewart (amateur); A.J. Triggs (distinguished service) and the late Ray Riviere (pioneer). The San Antonio Country Club was added to the Texas Registry of Historic Golf Courses.

Redstone Golf Club, owned by Fort Worth-based Escalante Golf Inc., announced a restructuring of its senior management team today. The club, home to the PGA Tour’s Shell Houston Open, will feature a senior management team of general manager Herb Lipsman, head golf professional Tommy Wolfenberger and course superintendent Michael Mefford. As part of the restructuring, former general manager Derek Clouse will join Billy Ray Brown, a former PGA Tour competitor, in overseeing the Dave Williams Golf Academy located at the club. David McDonald, president of Escalante Golf, Inc. announced the moves today. Escalante acquired the property in April.